Light Aero,Inc. (Ashley) AVID FLYER 1 accident near Allegan, Michigan, October 26, 1984
On October 26, 1984 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Light Aero,Inc. (Ashley) AVID FLYER 1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N4919C, was destroyed in an accident near Allegan, Michigan (Padgham airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1984 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Allegan, Michigan · Padgham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Light Aero,Inc. (Ashley) AVID FLYER 1 AVID FLYER, amateur-built
- Registration
- N4919C · no longer on the register · serial 38
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED HE NOTED A MOMENTARY FLUTTER IN THE RIGHT FLAPERON WHILE IN CRUISE AT 80 KTS. HE THEN HEARD A BANG AND LOOKING AT RIGHT WING, OBSERVED AT LEAST TWO OF THE OUTBOARD FLAPERON HINGE ATTACHMENTS HAD BROKEN. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A 30-DEGREE RIGHT BANK AND DESCENDING TURN AT A DESCENT RATE OF 700-800 FPM. WHILE MANUVERING TO AVOID OBSTACLES BY USE OF LEFT RUDDER IN A FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT, PLT PULLED THE NOSE UP TO CLEAR A FENCE, THE ACFT STALLED AND MUSHED INTO A FLD NOSING OVER UPON TOUCHDOWN ON THE RIGHT WING TIP AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR. REASON FLAPERON HINGE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 184 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 35D Allegan MI at 8:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.